Paper box folding and corner locking machine



July 22, 1952 F. A. BELLATO PAPER BOX FOLDING AND comma LOCKING MACHINEFiled Feb. 25, 1951 4 Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR Hank 5.5822620 ATTORNEYSy 1952 F. A. BELLATO PAPER BOX FOLDING AND CORNER LOCKING MACHINE FiledFeb. 23, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Frank H..BeZZaZo BY M mi:

ATTORNEYS July 22, 1952 F. A. BELLATO PAPER BOX FOLDING AND CORNERLOCKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYSJuly 22, 1952 F. A. BELLATO PAPER BOX FOLDING AND comma LOCKING MACHINE4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IIL a INVEN'I'OR Frank fl..Be ZZa Z0 2221;. Maui FiledFeb. 25, 1951 E an ATTORN EYS 'Ih-thedrawings': i1

patented July 22, 1 952 partnership Application l iebrufity 2s,1951;"seri'a1 No; 2 125232 11' This-inventionis'directewto', and 'it is}al major "obj eat to 4 provide; anovel machine for folding paper 1boxes" fronr' pre-cut blanksand then leeking the corners of the boxes,all as an automatie "progressive operation; the paper boxes-birig' ofthe type which i'nlu'dea "ho'ok and-'eye connedtiori "bet'v'veen'infolded tabs 'on' I the ends 2 of the boxes 'ahdadjacent eh'g agedportions of the sides of-"the letter; 1

Anotherdmportant object of the invention is to provide a paper boxfol'di'rig and' cor-ner locking ima'ch'ine, as in thepreceding-paragraph; which v -iii'c'ludes aneffeet'iveplungerand dieassembly fo'r 'foldifi'g the-boxes from' blanksg-there being novelsprifig pressed; hem-actuated, fi'r'igersarranged on the plunger in aanner to cause' engagement of-the hook and eye conhections; adjacent thecorners; after each box h'ae b'emfldeci-to shape.

' A=further object of thisinve r-itiori -is to providetheaforesaidplimgerand die assembly with novel "cooperatirig camelernents forectuating the aforesaid flngefs in'proper t'ifn'ecirelatioi i"to156x fermingjmotion or the plurigerinto the die; 'thefln'gers first serving to sligl-itly 0ut-'ben'd"the tongue in thesides-so that the 'in-folded enditabs may eo'me =to' positidn inwardlythereof, and-then said fingers s-clai ms. (01.- 93-51 2,

=fdrmed=by-the out-berid-tori'gues v v Anadditionai bb'jeet of theinvention -is' toprovide a paper box folding-ahd eorner locking' me;-chine which is smooth,'- fa'st' aetih'g, and positive mega mum. t Stillanotherobject-of the-'ihvention is to pm- -vide a-prectic'al andreliable paper bex-qroidmg'and cernerioeking-machine, en ';1 "ye'tonewhieh-willibe ex'eedingly 'effectiv'e itis desig ned'. I Theseiobjects' are accomplished-"by" mains'iof Suchetfuctui'e an'd.' relativearrangement of-peits a -wil1 fully appear by a. per-u s ai followingFigI- Iis aL'n end elevation 'of themac'hi ei; the pllin'ger and-diebeing-separated; and'h-fpaiper box blank being fed theiebetweeni-' Y U 2-"-i n"enlarged"side-elevation of the mangerand die-assembly; the diebei'n'g 'in' ection, and a. paper box blank being iri' positiciri'for*Dl er'enga'gementu I 8 2s" an enlarged pla yiewg 'thepmnger I and dieassembly, as in Fig; 2:" 11

Fig; 4 is a fragmente ry sectional plen' 'of' the plunger inass'oeiatiori with the die the pl 'inger b'emgjadvanced intq theedi e inbox' sidef folding J V. ,L-:

of Said" die.

"being reeibrocated by a -eonn'ectirr mod .whichextendsdowhvkfard'ito':connection- :Witk acounterb'alanced cr'ank 43' 0 adriven shaft 5a-joufina1ed intheframel-I, A- heeJvy-dutysuspension-vzbar' fi is:fixed the heed- 2 and projeet'sidowhwa'rdly toirigid; conhe'etion with th'eplunger; indicated genera11yEat':1;- .ofthe -blungerrand die assembly whi'h ztheimachine embOdieS'fOI" formingor: foldingmaperiboiies flom initiallyflet blalnksi I .51; The 'die;whi'eh i of;opefithroatftypeyand indi- 'ceted' ge'1'1era11y at'f-8';*iisfixedfintheframe 1.1m

. vertieai alinementiwith the: plunger-'1.- finear pni- 2 tio'n S'uohthatfwh'en' sai'dfp'lung'er reiproeatesa it thfus't'szdownward;recurringmf through. said:- .die. The assembly ofthe plimger 1' anddiexB-r embo'dies -the' essence of the present iinventionpan'd suchassembly 2 is; hereifiaftel 'de'scribed detail "with respect to 'itsstrudture and function;:2

course of feeding onto the die, The' blairike" are placed-initially onthe machine in a stalck l I ''arr-iedfon; an open si ppoi t t2 late'fallof, end somewhat above; the entry'i om feed rolls I 0. The followingii'eehanism is eiiiployed to deliver the bla,nl:s--9' from the b'ott'omof the stack I], one at a time arid i ri proper 'tiined 'relt-tion'ilidh fed rollsjflh r n m tedii' the ppfer end of a' tubul di eetly be athhestagck gllfi f; r l4 is-"carried on a vertically reeiprjdeeme cmumnWith each up-stroke of the column I5 and post I 4, the suction head [3engages and grips the lowermost blank 9 in the stack H. As the suctionhead l3 begins its down-stroke, such lowermost blank is snapped throughthe open support l2 and deposited on a transversely spaced railplatform, 22, whence such blank isgfed by a 'hori zontally reciprocated-feeder 23" into thefeed rolls in for delivery onto the die 8; suchfeeder 23 including an upstanding feed nub 24 which, engages the blankat its rearmost edge in advancing relation. The feeder 23 is connected,.at the 26 on a shaft 21; the latter "being .driven from the shaft 5through the medium of an intermediate shaft28 and a gear train shown:diagrammatically at 29.

The feed rolls II! are driven from the shaft 28 by an endless drive30,.while said shaft 28 also ser'vesto drive an endless'conveyor 3|;disposed with its upper run horizontal andin a position to receiveformed boxes, as discharged from the llowerend of the die .8; z I

The plunger I anddie '8 are shown in detail in Figs. 2-6, inclusive, andare constructed and function as follows:'

,The plunger'l is comprised of a rectangular plunger block 32 whichishorizontally disposed, and in plan matches the bottom 33 of ,the,paper box formed from eaohblank 9. The flat'blanks 9, which are precut,comprise-4n addition to, the

bottom 33sides 34 and ends 35, defined from .the bottom 33 bylongitudinal scoring 36 an transverse scoring 31, respectively. l,

1 Additionally, the, ends .35 are formed with initially laterallyprojecting .end .tabsv38 defined *from the'box ends-35 by longitudinalscoring 39,

and from the box sides 34 by transverse splits 40.

In the formation-or foldinglof-each blank 9 to provide a shallow paperbox;.thejsides 34 are first folded, to a verticaltposition and then the:box ends 35 are folded upward to'vertical, with --the end tabs 38folded inwardly, in overlapping relation outsidethe adjacent portions ofthe box sides.34. Such adjacent portions'of the, box sides slapping endtabs 38;by diagonally splitting the latter. as at44 H l 1 ,The die 8includes avertically open diethroat 45 symmetricalr'to the plunger block32 and of only slightly greater dimensions; such die throat 45 beingdefinedby the sidewalls 46 and end walls 41 of said die.-

Attachment flanges 4,8 :lead in :opposite 'directions from the end walls.47, Whereby;;to mount {the die in position in the main frame], I I

The, side walls 46 are of substantially reater heightthan the end walls41; the uppermost portions of the side walls 46; being formed asdownwardly and inwardly sloping, box side folding :flanges 49, whiletheu e m st ort s. of th endwalls 41 are formed asdownwardly and-in-;wardly sloping, boxend folding flan e 5 Wi h I this arrangement,theboxside foldingflanges -49 are some distance above thebox end flanges50. As each flat blank 9 feeds onto the die 8, such blank 1s s pp r eralong o os t 9 1 s1dme bottom, to a depending swing arm25actuatedbyflalcam s o m edges-by the upper edges of the side walls 46,and such blank is located, endwise, by upstanding end guide plates 5|secured to the end walls 41 laterally out from the box end foldingflanges 50.

The timing of the machine is such that after "a flat blank-ii isdeliveredonto the: die 8, the -plunger 1 begins: its downistroke,"*engaging the blank 9 and pressing the same downwardly into the die 8.

, As the blank is initially pressed into the die 8,

the downwardly and inwardly sloping flanges 49 first bend the box sides34 upwardly to vertical, and then the downwardly and inwardly slopingflanges .50, being.- in a lower plane, act to bend the box-ends 35upwardly to vertical. Similarly, the end ,-tabs 38 ride down tab-foldlands 52 at 'the ends of the'flanges 49; such lands being formed, andcoperating with the corresponding flanges 49, to cause the end tabs 38to fold inwardly in lapping relation to the adjacent portions of thealready up-foldedrboxsides 34 a s the box ends 35 are foldedv to theirupright position. 7 -.'1

i The plunger block 32 hasa longitudinal channel 53 in each sidethereof-, ;and a-pair offlat, elongated fingers 54 are ;secured in eachchannel in the maner as will hereinafter appear; each pair of saidfingers projecting out of the related channel 53 in widelydivergingrelation. The

fingers 54 are each-formed at the outer end, with an out-turned tip 55,and-said tips lead out of the corresponding channels 53, adjacent butshort of the corresponding endsof the latter. The flngers 54, includingthe-tips 55, are of spring metal. The position of thefinger tips 55 issuch that when the plunger block 32; drives into the die 8 tofoldthe boxsides 34 upwardly,-said tips 55 engage the triangulartongues. 42; fromtheinside and. pu h d-to s ou w d mes n F i -0Denthefieyesftforrnedbythe y-slits 4! Consequently, upon further-down-,-stroke of the -plunger block 32, and; when the bex ends 35 ;are,folded upwardly, andthe end tabs 38 folded Zinwardly in lapping relationto the box sides 34, ,said, tabs lie between the finger tips 55 angl-the adjacent portions of the box sides 34 (See Fig.5).

The side walls 46 of the die are formed with vertical channels 5 topermit the tips to push the tongues 42 outwardly, as above.

:;-, :Upon still further motion of the plunger block 35 downwardly, thefingers are caused to swing into the channels 53 by the mechanism whichwill m d by e V- .4 a d n therorrespending hooks 43 through such fey-6Swhereupon the end tabs 38 ar e effectively intreng aged or hooked withthe box sides 34. See Fig.6.

out obstruction.

heieinafter be described. When this occurs 'the tips 55 of the fingerspass through the 'eyes' The plunger block 32 then completesitsdownstroke below the die 8, whence the completed box falls from theplunger block 32-onto th endless Q VQS01..3, r y-.0 l er l n er bl32isformed with relief; notches 51; in-the bottom portion thereof andadjacent the corner, whereby the hook and. eye connections between; theend tabs 38 and box sides 34.;rnay clear the, die with- The flat,elongated fingers are mountedas follows, to the accomplishment-of theabove. described action thereof; 1 V

Adjacent but short of inner. end thereof each 7 finger 54 is attached bya screw '58 to the .flat side of a vertical spindle-59 which is exposedin the related channel 53; eachspindle "iipwairdiyout ofthe plungerblock 32 andbing a ned ;m;.si journa1 bracket Bil. Beyond-each spindle-SQeach finger 54 i's'normally urgedoutwardly by a compression spring 6l'suchsprings j (is being the me'diumwhic'h m i taiiisiic iingets intheir normal, P OZ ition, with the ftabsj55 ffpio'jectiiig' out or thechannels 5,3 for thepurp'fose .a fi b d m The. fingers 1 54 and upsetare limited-in bet- "w'a'ra 'motionunderlth'e nfluence ofthe springs ,slbecause the 'iniiren'ds of said fingers engage 1 stops szrormwangmem. nthe channels 53'.

their upper: ends fthe'spindlesf 9 fitted rfadialfarms Behav n horizdn'ts ranfi l lonthe'ir outeiend sftl'ieiadia g set so that the'rollerssfwnor'many oject'latany out'from' the ertical planes, of'trie"correndiiig sideslof'the plunger block'32f,

sired. o .SWing the fingers 54 into the channels 53, 'a'sin Fig; 6, therollers 64 engage corresponding, downwardly; andinwardly slopingcam-ways 65 in the side walls '46 of the dial: As the rollers 64 ridedown the cam ways' '65; th e spindles 59 are part-rotated in the correctdirection to swing the fingers Mintothe channels 53*against thecompression of the springs 5 I. v

. It, will also be recognizedthat as the plunger bloc'k'32 escapesthe"bo ttom'of the die 8 "for the purpose of discharging the formed boxonto the conveyor 3!, the rollers 64 riding the side walls itt of thedie will maintainthe fingers 54in an out-of-the-way or non-obstructingposition in the channels 53.

With the described machine, paper boxes are formed rapidly, positively,and smoothly; folding of the box sides, folding of the box ends andtabs, and the hook and eye connection of said tabs with the box sides,being accomplished in a wholly automatic and effective manner.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations therefrommay be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of theinvention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A mechanism for coupling hook and eye connections adjacent thecorners of a paper box formed in a machine having an open throat die anda plunger to progress an initially flat, precut paper box blank throughthe di to up-iold the sides and ends of the box and to in-turn end tabsof the box ends into outside lapping relation to adjacent portions ofsaid sides, the tabs including hooks, and said adjacent portions of thesides being slit to form tongues which when pushed outward open eyesthrough which cor-' responding hooks are adapted to be engaged; saidmechanism comprising normally protruding elements on the plunger inposition to push the tongues outward and project through the eyes uponup-folding of the sides, the elements being mounted on the plunger forretraction, and a cam .means in part on the plunger and in part on thedie operative upon continued progress of the plunger through the diearranged to cause retraction of said elements, the retracting elements ssate- As theplung'er block'SZ reaches a relatively'low position in the"die 8, and at which point it is d g-5 I sides being 1.s'lit" f-t'oj formtongues which" when,

jacfentj the" come sr a 'paperbox machine. haviiig an open' 'throatjdieand a plunger to progress an initially "fla t,, prefcut fpap'erboxlblank through the leyto, s-roid v theffs'ides.aridfeiidsjdf th'eb'oxar'id'to in-turn end tabs of the box endsfii'nto outside lappingrelation to ad acent pornqnsior Sfa'id' Sides, the tabs iinl'cliidififg"liooks',ar'id said adjacent portionso'f the nee oiitwaid'iepen eyestroegh which'fcor- 'ar e d bt 'tb be en eedrt y g [lengthwise of"theTSides and iemainingjconn 't'd thereto at the'jends' o posite jthebox corners "said mechanismj comprising flat" thin fingers normallyfprdtruding from ,"the sides of the "plunger inf outwardly" diagonafiel'aand in positions push t et'ohgues outward project through Ith Tys"upon up efoldifi'g of then 'exteridinggenerally m the hookfsof'the 'inturhed en' said". extendin fingers and tabs" mag; 'b' 'itwe 'the'ieyesfm mounting fthefinger's" ion'jthe plungffdr ward swingingretraction; and means operative upon continued progress of the plungerthrough the die arranged to cause said retraction of the fingers wherebythe latter sweep the corresponding hooks through said eyes forengagement therewith.

3. A mechanism, as in claim 2, in which the die is formed in a manner tocause up-folding of the box sides, and consequent projection of thefingers through the eyes, in advance of up-folding of the box ends andin-folding of said tabs, whereby the hooks of the tabs move to positionbetween the fingers and eyes only after said projection of the fingers.I

4. A mechanism for coupling hook and eye connections adjacent thecorners of a paper box formed in a machine having an open throat die anda plunger to progress an initially fiat, precut paper box blank throughthe die to lip-fold the sides and ends of the box and to in-turn endtabs of the box ends into outside lapping relation to adjacent portionsof said sides, the tabs including hooks, and said adjacent portions ofthe sides being slit to form tongues which when pushed outward open eyesthrough which corresponding hooks are adapted to be engaged, the tonguesextending lengthwise of the sides and remaining connected thereto at theends opposite the box corners; said mechanism comprising fiat fingersnormally protruding from the sides of the plunger in outwardly diagonalrelation and in position to push the tongues outward and project throughthe eyes upon up-folding of the sides, the fingers then extendinggenerally along the tongues and the hooks of the in-turned tabs lyingbetween said extending fingers and the eyes, means mounting the fingerson the plunger for inward swinging retraction, said mounting means foreach finger including a rotary spindle 75 journaled on the plungerlengthwise of its direcwith. v t

aeoaoea tion of travel, part-turning of the.spindleretractmg; saidfinger; a radian camjin'e nherron the lj spindle','..and. cooperatingcam way on" the; die "which the earn member enga'ge spindle "turn- Tingrelation uponcontinuedprogress of the plungupon up-folding of sides, thefingers then extending generally along the tongues and the hooks of thein-turned tabslying between said extending fingers and the eyes, thepivots for the "er" throughthediefwherebyf ea chrfingerli's redirectedand" sweeps; the. o re p nam ;hook "thro en the adj acenteye'ior'engagenient there- 5;,Afmebhanis orcouplingfhookland eyeconnectionsadjacent'thecorners of a paperjbox forined in a machinehaving an open throatdie rand, a'plunger 'to progress an initially fiat,prefieut paper box blank through the die to up-fold ithesides'iand endsof the' boxfand' to in-turn end tabs of the box ends into outsidelapping-relation, to adja'cent portions 'of said sides, thetabsincludingihook s, and saidadjacent portions of Lthje sides being slit toform tongues which when Zipujshed outward open eyes'through which cor-[respondinghooks are adapted. to' be, engaged, fthe tongues extendinglengthwise of thesides and remaining connected thereto at the endsupposite the box corners; said mechanism comprising fiat fin'gersnormally protruding fromrthe side's offithe plunger in outwardlydiagonal relati0n,'the sides of the plunger having longitudinal channelsin which-the inner portions of the fingers are disposed and'into whichchannels'the whole of the fingers are adapted toswing,means j 'pivotallymounting the fingersin said channels forinward swinging retractionthereintm pring means resisting such retraction, the normally protrudingfingers being in; position to push the tongues outward and projectthrough the eyes finger being rotary spindles, and cooperating I cammeans between the plunger and die arranged topar t-turn the spindles ina directionto swing the fingers wholly into said channels upon-continuedprogress of the plunger through'thegdie,

' wherebysaid fingers sweep the tongues through against which the innerends of the fingers abut,

outer ends.

file-of thispatent: V a

and springs in the channels engaging the'fingers therein and urging saidfingers outward attheir FRANK A, BELLATOQ REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of recordin the UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name IDate 1,365,920 Joslin Jan. 18, 19 21 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date514,744 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1939

